Tuneable antenna for a wireless communication device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tuneable antenna for a wireless communication device comprising at least one antenna element and at least one adaption element. The adaption element has an electric and/or magnetic susceptible material and is moveable relative to the antenna element. The position of the adaption element relative to the antenna element is adjustable by at least one actuator as a function of at least one of the antenna characteristics.

What is claims is: 
     
       1. A tuneable antenna for a wireless communication device, comprising:
 at least one antenna element; 
 at least one adaption element, wherein the adaption element has an electric and/or magnetic susceptible material and is movable relative to the antenna element, wherein the position of the adaption element relative to the antenna element is adjustable by at least one actuator as a function of at least one antenna characteristic associated with the at least one antenna element; 
 control means for controlling the at least one actuator for adjusting the position of the adaption element relative to the antenna element and/or for determining the at least one of the antenna characteristic; and 
 at least one tuneable matching circuit for adjusting the impedance of the antenna, and wherein the tuneable matching circuit interacts with the control means for adjusting the impedance of the antenna and the control means are adapted for adjusting the position of the adaption element relative to the antenna element as a function of the at least one antenna characteristic. 
 
     
     
       2. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna characteristic is the radiation pattern of the antenna. 
     
     
       3. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna characteristic is at least one resonant frequency of the antenna. 
     
     
       4. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the function of the antenna characteristic is dependent on the conditions of transmitted and/or received antenna power of the antenna. 
     
     
       5. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna characteristic is electrically and/or magnetically influenceable from the extent of overlapping of the body of the adaption element and the body of the antenna element. 
     
     
       6. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna further comprises a magnet, wherein the magnet and the adaption element are moveable relative to each other. 
     
     
       7. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the adaption element and/or the electric susceptible material of the adaption element is shaped to adjust the at least one antenna characteristic. 
     
     
       8. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric susceptible material of the adaption element has a very high relative permittivity or dielectric constant. 
     
     
       9. The antenna according to  claim 8 , wherein the electric susceptible material is one of Aluminum oxide, Titanium oxide, Strontium Titanate, low-loss ferrites or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       10. The antenna according to  1 , wherein the magnetic susceptible material of the adaption element has a high relative permeability or magnet constant. 
     
     
       11. The antenna according to  10 , wherein the magnetic susceptible material is a low-loss ferrite. 
     
     
       12. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the adaption element and/or the magnetic susceptible material of the adaption element is magnetically influenceable from the extent of overlapping of the body of the adaption element and the body of the magnet. 
     
     
       13. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the adaption element is rotatable and/or pivotable relative to the antenna element. 
     
     
       14. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the adaption element is mounted on the actuator. 
     
     
       15. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is an electric motor. 
     
     
       16. The antenna according to  claim 15 , wherein the actuator is a motor causing vibrational movement. 
     
     
       17. The antenna according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna comprises:
 a first antenna element operable in a first frequency band; and 
 a second antenna element operable in a second frequency band, wherein the resonant frequency of the first frequency band is separately adjustable from the resonant frequency at the second frequency band by at least one actuator. 
 
     
     
       18. A tuneable antenna for a wireless communication device, comprising:
 at least one antenna element; 
 at least one adaption element, wherein the adaption element has an electric and/or magnetic susceptible material and is movable relative to the antenna element, wherein the position of the adaption element relative to the antenna element is adjustable by at least one actuator as a function of at least one antenna characteristic associated with the at least one antenna element; 
 a controller for controlling the at least one actuator for adjusting the position of the adaption element relative to the antenna element and/or for determining the at least one antenna characteristic; and 
 at least one tuneable matching circuit for adjusting the impedance of the antenna, and wherein the tuneable matching circuit interacts with the controller for adjusting the impedance of the antenna and the controller are adapted for adjusting the position of the adaption element relative to the antenna element as a function of the at least one antenna characteristic. 
 
     
     
       19. The antenna according to  claim 18 , wherein the controller is implemented as an open-loop controller or a closed-loop controller. 
     
     
       20. The antenna according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one antenna characteristic is at least one resonant frequency of the antenna.